Mmm, the first one in the series that didn't quite get there for me. It was gruesome and I love the artwork but it felt like too much of a bridge to gMmm, the first one in the series that didn't quite get there for me. It was gruesome and I love the artwork but it felt like too much of a bridge to get from 4 to 6. Something else should have happened in the story to give readers the same high as all the other issues. But still great! Excited for issue 6 which isn't on hoopla yet...more
With two serial killers operating in Woodbrook, all the cute animals are freaking out! Except for the local "Karen" who makes everything about her I loWith two serial killers operating in Woodbrook, all the cute animals are freaking out! Except for the local "Karen" who makes everything about her I love how our original killer, Sam, is now on the prowl for the other one--very Dexter meets PBS cartoons Franklin or Arthur--wait, was Franklin Nickelodeon? Anyhoodles I'm off to read the next one now...more
Are you kidding me? This is like playing "Serial Killer" with Calico Critters. I'm obsessed. LOVE IT--does not hold back so if you don't think you canAre you kidding me? This is like playing "Serial Killer" with Calico Critters. I'm obsessed. LOVE IT--does not hold back so if you don't think you can handle Richard Scary "cartoonish) animals--as actually SCARY and victims of heinous violence, this isn't for you--but if you want to see the sweetness of Animal Crossing splashed in red...this is totally for you....more
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn (1987) is one of my favorite middle grade horror books. I'm sure it was one of my Scholastic Book Fair choiWait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn (1987) is one of my favorite middle grade horror books. I'm sure it was one of my Scholastic Book Fair choices--I have strong nostalgic feelings when I look at the original cover. I remember being so invested in the family's domestic drama and the little girl who is so awful to her step siblings. Researching horror books set in Maryland, I ran across this graphic novel adaptation and it's available on hoopla! I borrowed it right away and read it in one sitting. I will be buying both the novel and this adaptation for my niece this year for Christmas--she loves spooky ghost stories and this one is legit! I don't know what people want from a middle grade ghost story, but this is as good as it gets for me.
Recommended for readers who enjoy: -Graphic novels -Ghost stories -Moving to the country -Haunted houses -Graveyards -Creepy "Bad Seed" evil kids -Brothers & sisters -Blended families -When kids see paranormal or supernatural activity and are not believed -Scary stories for kids -The old man caretaker trope that warns people to stay safe, trope (like whats-his-name from Pet Sematary) .. Content Warnings for young readers: Parent death, child death, housefires, drowning, ghosts, corpses...more
Kanae Minato is just not for me. We don’t meet in the story—something doesn’t click. I loved the beginning and the end of this story—the middle was a Kanae Minato is just not for me. We don’t meet in the story—something doesn’t click. I loved the beginning and the end of this story—the middle was a struggle. It’s the same with Confessions, I can’t get past my lack of investment in the beginning. It’s ok, I know I don’t have to love all the books :) This is on hoopla and I liked it better than Confessions ...more
No rating/endorsement first things first: I read this digitally on hoopla for free. Written by Lily Hoang/celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander HNo rating/endorsement first things first: I read this digitally on hoopla for free. Written by Lily Hoang/celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Major content warnings for the following: Child abuse in all its forms, explicit fat shaming and fat phobia, disordered eating, psychological trauma, murder of multiple children by their own mother, graphic language and psychological warfare Maybe one of the most extreme books I've ever read (*endured) This book is exactly what it promises to deliver in the synopsis, there are no real surprises other than my willingness to read the whole thing, I thought I would quit. There is something quite fascinating in the work Lily Hoang did here in, Underneath, in the way she buried under the initial revulsion and horror to uncover the making of a monster. The systematic psychological warfare inflicted on one person over their whole life and how that kind of damage can have lasting consequences for everyone to come into their sphere of influence afterward. Like getting sucked into someone's black hole of abuse and anger and trauma. Extremely disturbing and upsetting. I'll have to think long and hard about recommending it in any capacity. Enter this one at your own risk. ...more
Maybe like a 3.5--not quite a 4. I think some stories were a little underdeveloped like, The Frozen Finger and some stories were overdone like, Scars.Maybe like a 3.5--not quite a 4. I think some stories were a little underdeveloped like, The Frozen Finger and some stories were overdone like, Scars. Oddly enough, the first two are my favorite. Snare was full on horror and felt like the world's most graphic fable/parable Those were my favorite, the rest were well-written just not as memorable. I'm eager to read more of her work
Story by Story Updates: The first story, "Head" is amazing. A woman flushes the toilet one day and sees a formless head pop out of it. The head calls her mother. She learns that the head is creating a body for itself out of everything the woman flushed down the toilet. The ending is WILD.
what the actual fuck? "The Embodiment" is about a woman who is having a very heavy, abnormal period so she is prescribed some birth control pills. She ends up taking them for too long and winds up pregnant. She's told to find a father for the baby FAST or else the baby will be messed up
"Cursed Bunny" "Cursing others leads to two graves."
"The Frozen Finger"--so weird. A woman regains consciousness and hears a disembodied voice calling her and telling her to get out of the car, they're in a swamp and the story of how she got there keeps changing...it's just a strange story
"Snare"--a fable or folktale about a man who traps a fox in a snare. The fox bleeds gold so he brings it home...tortures it for years getting gold from it, has a family that's cursed and all this crazy violence ensues
so "Scars" is novelette length. It's about a youth that is kidnapped and given to a beast as a sacrifice. This story is extremely disturbing and violent. I skimmed over the dog/animal fighting--I hate when that shows up in books. This was good though, I like storytelling that feels like a legend
"Home Sweet Home"--a cautionary tale about greed and capitalism, selfish ambition
Ruler of the Winds and Sands--I loved this one, like a dark fairytale
REUNION--I skimmed this one honestly, it happens for me on the last story of a collection, I get burned out...more
If you're looking for a collection of stories that center on the extraordinary experiences of everyday people, this would be perfect. My favorite storIf you're looking for a collection of stories that center on the extraordinary experiences of everyday people, this would be perfect. My favorite stories are: Waxen Wings- about a gymnast who wants to fly
Nightmare- about a girl who gets her revenge
The Woman Next Door- the story of a mysterious stranger who borrows something from her new neighbors over and over again
Your Review Mirror-a story of obsession
**Flowers of Mold- the best story. A man sits in his bathtub and sifts through the trash of everyone in his apartment building and learns the intimate details of their lives
Some of the stories seemed connected with similar themes of shoplifting, traffic accidents, women or models on billboard advertisements, shopping malls, and cities. Not my favorite collection but memorable and I'm glad I read it. ...more
BEFORE- by Carmen Boullosa An unnamed ghost narrator tells the story of her childhood--highlighting memories of events that explain why she was such anBEFORE- by Carmen Boullosa An unnamed ghost narrator tells the story of her childhood--highlighting memories of events that explain why she was such an anxious young girl. -Coming-of-age in Mexico City -First Person POV -Fever dream/lyrical/non-linear/ambiguous/stream of consciousness -magical realism -Nostalgic -pillow fights/special scissors in the house/school/night terrors -the turtle :( -family/when grandmas lived in the household -bullying/older girls at school -puberty -Christianity/religion/faith -ghosts/dreams/imaginations -sisters -I thought it was strange she called her mother by her first name so at first I didn't realize Esther was her mother
“I cried over the lack of attention from the two fairy godmothers who protected the threshold of my being, had prevented monsters coming in from the outside, not realizing that what I should have been mourning was the disappearance of the girls who had once been my sisters.”
-death of a parent -THE ENDING, what?? Why?? Author: Carmen Boullosa Translator: Peter Bush The cover to Before by Carmen BoullosaDallas, Texas. Deep Vellum. 2016. 104 pages....more
I was not prepared. First, I want to give an explicit CW to readers about the level of caregiving detailed in this book. It's a lot. And I personally kI was not prepared. First, I want to give an explicit CW to readers about the level of caregiving detailed in this book. It's a lot. And I personally know several readers who are caregivers for ailing parents or other family members who don't want to read about that in books. So consider this a big head up. Also a CW for unwanted pregnancy.
Okay, those out of the way, this book surprised me in the best way. I was unprepared for how real and raw this book would be, emotionally. I loved the flawed characters--the themes of motherhood, mothers and daughters, dealing with debilitating diseases, surviving, spirituality, co-dependency, caregiving, the healthcare industry, death of child, grief, unwanted pregnancy, politics surrounding abortion, and especially fate--destiny and fate. The circle of life. Huge themes--super emotional and impactful and has given me so much (almost too much) to think about. Shoutout to Ashley for leading the bookclub so I'd read this sooner rather than later and shoutout to hoopla for this being available at my local library....more
I listened to the audiobook available on hoopla and I'm so glad I got to enjoy this paranormal thriller/murder mystery, haunted house horror story in I listened to the audiobook available on hoopla and I'm so glad I got to enjoy this paranormal thriller/murder mystery, haunted house horror story in this format because the narrator's accent is perfect. I never would have been able to pronounce all the Icelandic names and places in my head.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy: - Isolation horror - Fixing up/restoring a haunted house - Back & forth POVs - Intricately plotted storyline - Two separate stories that will later converge - Amateur sleuthing - Revenge - Grief & loss - Small town murder mystery - Short chapters with cliffhangers - The dog doesn't die in this one!...more
I went into this book totally blind. It was a recommendation on NoveList Plus--came up on the home page Haunting and Atmospheric: Unforgettable reads.I went into this book totally blind. It was a recommendation on NoveList Plus--came up on the home page Haunting and Atmospheric: Unforgettable reads. Thank you NoveList! I love you! The cover appealed to me. Then I read that it was translated from French and the blurb read, "A small gem". I went over to hoopla to see if it was available, I recognized the publisher as having a big catalogue available there and SUCCESS! It was there. I used my last checkout on this book and it did NOT disappoint. -Short chapters -Multiple POVs -Suspense & Thriller...leans into some horror -Sparse, compelling, clever prose -Reveals its secrets over time -Reads in one sitting-could NOT put it down
That's all I will say. Just. Read. It. I'm going to buy myself a copy...more
This is my favorite poetry collection I've ever read. Thoughts on motherhood Grief Hope Love War Children Anxieties--this poet and I share a lot of the same This is my favorite poetry collection I've ever read. Thoughts on motherhood Grief Hope Love War Children Anxieties--this poet and I share a lot of the same anxieties but she suffers from anxieties that I will never know. It feels so intimate to share in someone's worries and heartbreak...to just let the empathy and sadness be enough I'm thankful to Maya abu Al-Hayyat for this collection. I enjoyed it so much. Her whole heart laid bare. ...more
..."For us the hanging game was a sacred thing, the most sacred thing we knew ..."
Basically, these older kids hand the younger ones from a noose until they have a vision or prophecy and then they cut 'em loose. It's very Shirley Jackson-esque...a dangerous, macabre, ritualistic game played by kids--tempting death. It reminded me of The Lottery...more
This is just what I needed right now. I was struggling to get invested in a book, everything I'm currently reading didn't sound like what my mind was This is just what I needed right now. I was struggling to get invested in a book, everything I'm currently reading didn't sound like what my mind was craving and then this beastly thing...absolutely grotesque body horror. I love when a woman is tasked with the job of caring for a creepy child in a remote castle where the staff is acting strangely and there is some kind of mystery to figure out.
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